Rim mounting



Oct. 10, 1939. v w, AE ER 2,175,294

RIM MOUNTING Filed Jan. 16, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1- WALTER J JZIEGER,

Atlorneys Inventor Oct. 10, 1939. w. J. JAEGER 2,175,294

RIM MOUNTING Filed Jan. 16, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Attorneys iatented Oct. 10, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 5 Claims.

My invention relates generally to a vehicle wheel equipped with multipletire accommodating rims which are axially adjustable, and an im portantobject of my invention is to provide ar- 5 rangements of this characterwhereby the wheels may be accommodated for different terrain, differentload and traction conditions, and in the case of agricultural tractors,to accommodate different widths of rowed crops.

10 Another important object of my invention is to provide vehicle wheelsof the character indicated which are especially adapted to be used asfront and/or rear wheels for tractors and the like vehicles, whereby thevehicles may be espe- 5 cially and particularly adapted for specifieddifferent tasks, without necessitating the use of a number of diiferenttypes of wheels.

Other important objects and advantages of my invention will be apparentfrom a reading of the 20 following description taken in connection withthe drawings, wherein forpurposes of illustration I have set forthpreferred embodiments of my invention.

In the drawings:- M

25 Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an embodiment of my inventionespecially adapted for rear wheel use, and showing the employmentthereon of one tire accommodating rim as well as two and/or three suchrims, the latter ap- 30 pearing in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is an outboard elevational View of Figure 1. V

Figure 3 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken throughone of the rims.

35 Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view taken through Figure 1approximately on the line 4-4 and looking upwardly in the direction ofthe arrows.

Figure 5 is an outboard elevational view of a 40 modified form of theinvention especially adapted to front wheel use.

Referring in detail to the drawings, and first to Figures 1 through 4thereof, the numeral 5 generally designates the rim carrying portion ofthe 45 wheel which is substantially in the form of a cylinder to theinner periphery of which are connected the spokes 6 which radiate fromthe hub 1 which receives the axle of the vehicle (not shown). In thecase of rear wheel employment,

where greater amount of force is exerted in turning the wheels to drivethe vehicle forward, as in the case of tractors, the present embodimentis especially adapted by reason of a greater number of connectionsbetween the member and the 55 pneumatic tireaccommodating rims 8, 8',and 8",

in the case of accommodating one, two or three rims, as the case may be.The rims have a substantially conventional form as indicated in Figures1 and 3, but attached to opposite side portions thereof at suitablycircumferentially spaced 5 points are segmental flanges 9 and H] whichare arranged in pairs and project radially inwardly,

terminating in an extremity which has secured thereto or formed thereonthe radially inwardly facing angle iron form I l which extends parallel10 to the axis of the wheel; To cooperate with these angle iron forms IIthe rim carrying element 5 is formed at at least two circumferentiallyadjacent points with rigidly mounted angle iron ,forms l2 which extendat least the full length of the member 5 as indicated in Figure 1 of thedrawings, the members l2 fitting substantially exactly the angle ironforms H on the rims 8 and/or 8' and/or 8". In this embodiment of theinvention the member 5 has at least two unfastened angle iron forms l2which are loosely disposed between pairs of ribs [3, l4 fastened to theexterior of the element 5, withtightening bolts I5 threaded radiallythrough the wall of the member 5 as illustrated in Figure 2 to engagethe crotch of the loose angle iron elements l2 so as to push the same ina radially outward direction and forcibly into engagement with the angleiron forms l2, so as to thereby tighten the entire rim securely on themember 5 in such 1011- gitudinal position on the member 5 as may havebeen selected beforehand. It is obvious that these provisions for readydemountability and longitudinal adjustment on the member 5 enablepositioning a single rim 8 in any desired position .35 on the member 5or the positioning of two or more rims'up to the capacity of the member5,

tosuit any conditions met with in the operation of the vehicle. Asuitable number of the bolts [5 will be distributed throughout thelength of 40 the element 5 to take care of proper tensioning of theloose angle iron forms l2.

Referring now to the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 5 whichis particularly adapted to front wheeluse, wherein the tractive force isless than in the case of rear wheels of a conventional tractor, thisembodiment differs from that described by being provided with fewerconnections between the rim carrier 5a and the rim or rims 8a whichcarries the pneumatic or other type of tire it. In this particularembodi- -ment the rim 8a is provided at three equally circumferentiallyspaced points with W-shaped forms I la corresponding in function to theforms in the first described embodiment designated by the respectivenumerals 9 I0 and H, and these W-forms are welded or otherwise suitablysecured to the inner periphery of the rim 8a as illustrated in Figure 5.The rim supporting element 5a is provided at similar circumierentiallyspaced points with two rigidly mounted angle iron forms I 2acorresponding in function to the rigidly secured forms l2 in the firstdescribed embodiment, and these fit in any selected two adjacent ones ofthe W forms Ila. In addition to the rigid forms |2a there is a looseangle iron form l2b corresponding to the loose forms [2 in the firstdescribed embodiment, and this is located between ribs I3a and Ma,between which is located the tightening bolt I list which traverses thewall of the carrier 5a and engages in the crotch of the loose angle ironforms l2b so as to push the same outwardly into forcible engagement withthe corresponding one of the W forms Ila and thereby tension and securethe rim 8a on the carrier 50. in a desired longitudinal position on thecarrier. This last described arrangement also permits the use of one,two or more rims on the same carrier and with any desired spacing withinthe limits of the carrier.

To facilitate an understanding of the succeeding claims, it seemsappropriate tointerpret the so-called hub equipped carrier or foundationas a wheel characterized by a central hub and a surrounding felly, thelatter being concentric to the hub and longitudinally elongated toprovide what has been-described as a cylinder. Surrounding thecylindrical felly and longitudinally adjustable from one end to theother, according to one phase of the concept, is the tire rim 8, thisbeing provided on its inner peripheral portion with circumferentiallyspaced transversely disposed V-sha-ped elements alternativelydescribable as keeper seats or retention keyways, as the case may be.Cooperable with the keyways and interposed between the felly and rimarethe fixed and movable detents I2 and [2, the latter being retractableand projectable in a radial direction to provide the adjustableinterrelated means between the felly and rim to maintain the latterfixedly in predetermined adjusted position. Placing a furtherinterpretation upon the assemblage disclosed one can clearly visualizethe wheel structure characterized by the elongated cylindrical felly 5having circumferentially spaced ribs extending the fulllength thereof,certain ribs being rigid and the others adjustable, this arrangementserving to accommodate, according to one phase of the invention, asingle tire rim shiftable from end to end and having fixed means on itsinner periphery to accommodate the ribs and to provide for adjustableclamping.

Although I have shown and described herein preferred embodiments of myinvention, it is to be definitely understood that I do not desire tolimit the application of theinvention thereto, and any change or changesmay be made in the structure and arrangement of the parts, within thespirit of my invention and the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A wheel comprising a rim carrier comprising at least one longitudinalfixed projection radially outwardly spaced from the center thereof, atleast one radially movable longitudinal projection loosely supported ina similar radially outwardly spaced position and circumferentiallyspaced from the fixed projection, both projections 00- cupying positionssubstantially parallel to the axis of the wheel, at least one tirecarrying rim circumposed on said carrier and having longitudinalradially inwardly disposed elements arranged to receive the fixed andthe movable projections of the carrier, and expanding means on thecarrier for pushing the carriers movable projection in a radiallyoutward direction against the engaged longitudinal element of the rim soas to tension the rim on the carrier, said carrier projections and rimelements being slidable on each other to permit longitudinal adjustmentof the rim along the carrier.

2. A wheel comprising a rim carrier comprising at least one longitudinalfixed member projecting radially outwardly from the axis of the wheel,at least one radially movable longitudinal member similarly radiallyoutwardly positioned from the axis of the wheel, both of said membersbeing substantially parallel to the axis of the wheel, a plurality oftire accommodating rims circumposed on said carrier, each rim havingradially inwardly disposed elements to supportably engage the said fixedand movable members on the carrier, andmeans on the carrier for forciblyexpanding the movable members in a radially outward direction againstthe corresponding elements of the rims so as to tension the rims inposition on the carrier, said members and said elements being slidableon each other in a relaxed condition of said means whereby to enableselective position of the rims along said carrier.

3. A wheel comprising a rim carrier comprising at least one fixedlongitudinal member positioned radially outwardly from the axis of thewheel, only one radially movable longitudinal member mounted loosely ina similarly radially outward position, at least one tire accommodatingrim circumposed on said carrier and having radially inwardly disposedlongitudinal elements in which the fixed and loose longitudinal elementsof the carrier seat, and means for moving the movable longitudinalmember in a radially outward direction against the correspondinglongitudinal ele ment of the rim so as to tension the rim in position onthe carrier, the engaged members and elements being slidable on eachother to enable longitudinal adjustment of the rim along the carrierwhile said means is relaxed.

4. In an adjustable pneumatic tire rim assemblage of the classdescribed, a Wheel comprising a hub surrounded by a concentric felly,said felly being of elongated cylindrical form and provided withcircumferentially spaced outstanding ribs on its outer peripheralsurface, certain of said ribs being rigid, the remaining ribs beingradially adjustable for tire rim binding and clamping purposes, and atire rim concentrically surrounding the felly and circumposed on theribs, said tire rim being provided on its inner periphery with keeperseats slidably engaging and receiving said ribs.

5. As a component part of a wheel and rim assembly of the classdescribed, a wheel embodying a longitudinally elongated cylindricalfelly, a pair of circumferentially-spaced parallel ribs fixedlysecuredto the outer periphery of said felly, a pair of additional relativelymovable ribs parallel to each other and to said first named rigid ribs,said movable ribs being radially adjustable toward and from the felly,and retaining and adjusting means for said movable ribs carried by saidfelly.

WALTER J. JAEGER.

